Process control systems, like those used in chemical, petroleum, or other processes, typically include a centralized process controller communicatively coupled to at least one host or operator workstation and to one or more field devices via analog, digital, or combined analog/digital buses. The field devices, which may be, for example valves, valve positioners, switches and transmitters (e.g., temperature, pressure, and flow-rate sensors), perform functions within the process such as opening or closing valves and measuring process parameters. The process controller receives signals indicative of process measurements made by the field devices and/or other information pertaining to the field devices, uses this information to implement a control routine, and then generates control signals which are sent over the buses to the field devices to control the operation of the process. Information from the field devices and the controller is typically made available to one or more applications executed by the operator workstation to enable an operator to perform desired functions with respect to the process, such as viewing the current state of the process, modifying the operation of the process, etc.
When a plant incident occurs, such as, for example, when a critical operating condition or process control parameter value is exceeded, or plant safety is compromised, or other abnormal situations develop in the process control system, operating personnel must analyze process control system information to determine the likely cause of the incident and to evaluate the operator's response to the incident. Typically this investigation involves careful analysis of entries in event journals (such as detailed information regarding alarms and operator changes to the process control system made in response to the alarms) and process data that is automatically collected and stored in a data historian. This analysis can be very time-consuming and does not provide all of the information needed to recreate the situation that gave rise to the plant incident. In particular, control systems typically do not permit review of exactly what an operator saw on a console, or how the operator navigated to information that he or she thought was relevant, and then ultimately what action the operator took (or did not take) in attempting to resolve the incident.
Further, when plant operators experience problems operating a plant, they generally are required to document the problem and report to appropriate personnel. Often, however, the information necessary to document the problem is difficult to obtain and may not be easily re-created. Often, a significant amount of time is required to document, investigate, understand, and, when necessary, re-create the problem.
In addition, many entities using process control systems seek to improve their operational performance by formulating standard operating procedures (SOP's) to be performed by plant personnel in the event of any number of operating conditions that a plant operator may encounter during operation of a process control system. Such SOP's normally are maintained as standard text documents in plant manuals for reference by personnel responsible for operating the process control system.
Still further, in order for companies to grow and adapt to changing workforce demographics, it is important to capture and retain operating knowledge developed by plant personnel and to transfer that operating knowledge to other plant personnel as well as to new employees. Operator training programs often employ process control simulators and/or on-the-job training alongside more experienced operators. Off-line process control simulators permit a wide variety of training scenarios to be defined in order to capture important operating conditions that may confront an operator. With on-the-job training, however, an operator may not experience all possible operating conditions of a process control system for a long time.